Eaters of the Dead

Michael Crichton

Eaters of the Dead takes elements of the Anglo-Saxon epic Beowulf
and the Arab Ibn Fadlan's account of his journeys among the Rus, and
works them into a thriller. The historical detail is handled reasonably
well, the story is fast-paced and gripping, and the contrast between the
Arab/Islamic and Viking cultures is effectively exploited. The result may
not be a great novel, but it's an entertaining one and should appeal to
those interested in the period. Neanderthal survival into the modern era
is a bit of a stretch, but no more so than the science in Jurassic Park.